This invention is directed to cargo handling systems and, more particularly, to cargo handling conversion systems for converting an aircraft from passenger use to cargo use.
In the past, the interiors of aircraft have been structured in accordance with the intended use of the aircraft. In the case of passenger aircraft, the interior walls and deck of the aircraft have been structured to support seats and other passenger convenience items, such as restrooms, stewardess stations, etc. The walls and deck are structured so that such items are readily installable without undue difficulty. In many aircraft some of these items can be readily repositioned. For example, seat tracks located in the deck of an aircraft allow seat positions to be readily and rapidly changed. Similarly, the interiors of cargo aircraft previously have been configured such that various cargo related mechanisms, such as tie down rings and restraint mechanisms for cargo pallets are installed in desired positions so that cargo can be readily loaded and lashed down. In the past, in order to convert an aircraft configured for one type of use to another type of use, the interior of the aircraft first has been substantially gutted of elements related to the previous use. Not only have easily installable structures been removed, more difficult to remove structures, such as wall panels, deck flooring, etc., have also been removed. Thereafter, structures related to the desired use have been installed. Obviously, such conversion is time consuming and, therefore, expensive. Thus, in order to reduce the time and, thus, the cost, it is desirable to provide a system providing for the removal of a minimal number of elements and the rapid conversion of an aircraft from one type of use to another type of use and vice versa.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved system for rapidly converting an aircraft from one type of use, e.g., passenger use, to another type of use, e.g., cargo use.
It is another object of this invention to provide a system for converting an aircraft from one type of use to another type of use that requires the removal of a minimal number of components directed to one or the other uses.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a system for rapidly and quickly converting an aircraft from passenger use to cargo use and vice versa.
While the prior art has proposed some systems for converting an aircraft having an interior designed for a particular use to another use, these systems have not been as functional as desirable. For example, such systems have been poorly suited for use with relatively large cargo pallets designed to be held in place by specific mechanisms, such as parallel guide rails. Moreover, such systems have been designed such that they are suitable for transporting either cargo on pallets, or rolling cargo; but not a mixture of both types of cargo.
Therefore, it is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved cargo handling system suitable for converting an aircraft from passenger use to cargo use and suitable for transporting both rolling and nonrolling cargo, or a mixture of both of these types of cargo.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a new and improved cargo handling system including mechanisms suitable for holding cargo pallets in place on the deck of an aircraft.
It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a new and improved cargo handling system suitable for converting an aircraft from passenger use to cargo use including subsystems that allow the converted aircraft to readily transport cargo pallets, rolling stock, or a combination of cargo pallets and rolling stock.